It’s important to me that you feel safe bringing yourself or your family to me for a photography session, so I want to let you know that I’m taking this very seriously and have implemented new practices in my business to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.

So, what’s new? Here are the details:

A day or two before your session, you’ll receive an email from me with the following questions:

• Has any member of your household had a fever, cough, flu-like or COVID-19 symptoms in the last 14 days?
• Has any member of your household been around someone exhibiting any of these symptoms in the last 14 days?
• (Answering “yes” to any of these questions will require rescheduling the session.)

For ALL sessions, including outdoor sessions, these precautions are in place:

• Taking my temperature before the session (anything over 100°F will trigger rescheduling)

• Maintaining a minimum distance of at least 6 ft from others

• Washing hands before and after sessions

• Wearing a mask at all times

• Following proper cough/sneeze etiquette (into tissue or elbow)

• Using no-touch posing methods

• Avoiding contact with others, such as shaking hands or hugging

For sessions that take place in the studio, these precautions are added:

• Cleaning and sanitizing commonly touched surfaces and props before each session
• Added air purifiers
• Providing a no-touch thermometer at entry
• Providing hand sanitizer at entry
• Removal of unnecessary objects from the room such as snacks, drinks and sample products

• There’s no eating or drinking in the studio right now, but you are welcome to go outside for a snack.

• Please avoid bringing props to the session, but a change of outfits is totally fine.

• For newborn sessions, I will also be wearing gloves and a face shield for the sections that involve touching/posing the baby and sanitizing my camera before and after.

For sessions that take place in your home, these precautions are added:

• Photographer wearing gloves, as needed
• Removing shoes at front door
• Avoiding touching any of your belongings and/or surfaces
• Carrying hand sanitizer for use

Additionally, I ask that you and your family please do the following:

• Take temperatures of everyone involved in the shoot the morning of the session to ensure that no one is over 100°F. Please alert me as soon as you can if someone does have a temperature.
• Maintain a distance of at least six feet from me. Please keep in mind that children (and pets) often want to come close but you’ll need to keep them reined in (even though I wish we could give hugs!).
• You are not required to wear a mask, particularly while you are having your picture taken, but you are encouraged to do so during the times when you are not in front of the camera. Feel free to bring your own, but I also have disposable masks for use at the studio.
• If you need to cough or sneeze, please do so into a cloth or tissue or use your elbow.
• Photographers are currently only authorized to photograph members of the same household, so please avoid bringing anyone who is not involved in the photography session or who lives in a different house.

Okay, whew! If you’ve read this far then I applaud you! It took quite some time to research and compile all of these industry-specific best practices, but if it means keeping everyone healthy, I’m here for it!

Be well,

Darby